The Guardian has questioned the thoroughness of the Independent Police Complaints Commission’s report into allegations police covered up details of Ian Tomlinson’s death and misled the media.
Yesterday’s IPCC report concluded the City of London police and the Met had not purposely misled reporters or withheld crucial details surrounding Tomlinson’s death.
It did admit that without the media coverage – which was led by The Guardian – the criminal investigation into Tomlinson’s death launched last month might never have happened.
A spokesperson for Guardian News and Media said: ‘We are pleased to note that, following last-minute corrections and amendments, the IPCC report acknowledges the crucial role played by the media in uncovering evidence surrounding the death of Ian Tomlinson.”
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Yesterday’s report made no mention of the fact that on 3 April – two days after Tomlinson’s death – three Met officers told supervisors they witnessed PC Simon Harwood push Tomlinson.
The spokesperson added that the report’s failure to mention this information – and the fact it was not forwarded to the coroner, pathologist, family, IPCC or media – ‘calls into question the report’s thoroughness”.
They added: ‘These revelations published by the Guardian have prompted a new IPCC investigation, which we hope will be robust, independent and definitive.”
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